techUK Outlines Significance of UK Ratification of UPC

8 Nov 2016 03:46 PM

techUK has delivered a letter to the Minister of State for Energy and Intellectual Property stating the importance of UK participation in the Unified Patent Court...

In a letter delivered to Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State for Energy and Intellectual Property, on Friday 4 November, techUK has outlined the importance of UK participation in the Unified Patent Court (UPC). techUK and its members appreciate this is complicated topic for Government with implications for the UK’s wider future relationship with the EU. However, the technology industry is clear that UK participation in the UPC is important.

In the position statement below, Antony Walker, deputy CEO, techUK explains that we would like to see a mechanism established to allow continued UK involvement in the UPC despite the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.

“techUK members want to see UK participation in the Unified Patent Court. UK involvement is important to ensure the benefits of a Unitary Patent for innovation are realised and will be crucial to underpin the UK’s future trading relationships with other UPC participating states. The worst possible outcome, for all stakeholders involved, would be for the UK to ratify the UPC and then be unable to remain in the UPC and unitary patent upon exiting the EU.”

“techUK therefore believes the UK Government should now send a clear signal of intent that it plans to ratify the Unified Patent Court Agreement, subject to assurances that the UK will remain a member of the UPC once it is no longer an EU member state.”

“techUK would then like the Government to determine, in joint collaboration with the other UPC participating states, a process which would guarantee this involvement, before making a decision on ratification. This decision should occur without unreasonable delay in order to maintain momentum and provide business with more certainty about the UK’s future relationship with the UPC.”

“techUK believes that sending a signal of intent would encourage the other UPC participating states to begin establishing the mechanism that will allow the UK to continue to be involved in the UPC, which would be of benefit to all.”